text:
Eco-Fair project achieves most of the initial goals
Despite the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, with a suitable and flexible project design, the Eco-Fair project has implemented activities and achieved most of the initial goals.
Under the framework of the project “Promotion of supply and demand of Eco-Fair Agri-food processing products in Viet Nam” (Eco-Fair), co-financed by the European Union with EUR 1.5 million through the EU’s SWITCH-Asia Programme, Viet Nam Rural Industries Research and Development Institute (VIRI) held an online policy dialogue on “Promotion of Supply and Demand of Eco-Fair Agri-Food Products” on Tuesday.
The policy dialogue shared some results and initial impacts of the Eco-Fair project that promotes Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP) practices in eco-fair agri-food product supply chains, which contributes to the development of sustainable livelihoods and circular economy in Viet Nam.
The Eco-Fair project targets micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), consumer groups in agri-food processing sectors, as well as business intermediaries and relevant government authorities.
The project has held online training for nearly 1,000 businesses and co-operatives, and over one million consumers, building a network of sustainable consumption pioneers in the Eco-Fair Green Community group.
It has conducted quick assessments and supported enterprises to implement activities of Resource Efficiency and Cleaner Production.
It has conducted over 200 surveys, quick assessments for 174 enterprises to select 33 enterprises for in-depth assessment on product innovation and technological innovation; provide orientation and solutions for product innovation and enterprise technology.
The project has supported 23 businesses and co-operatives to conduct self-assessment and register for eco-fair certification (EU Organic, USDA, Global GAP, FLO, WFTO, TCVN organic, VietGAP, OCOP), supported in packaging design, promoting communication for eco-fair products and co-ordinated with associations to develop Code of Conduct and policy proposals for the industry.
Nguyen Bao Thoa, VIRI director, said that the Eco-Fair project was born with a mission of changing the behaviour of organisations and individuals in order to exert positive measures on environmental and social change.
“We wish to inspire the values of socio-environmental sustainability through the implementation of project activities such as awareness-raising, capacity building, building MSMEs support networks, setting up sectoral Codes of Conduct on sustainability, advocating on policies that support these aims,” she noted.
Koen Duchateau, head of Co-operation of the EU Delegation to Viet Nam, stated that for decades, the European Union had been a leader in addressing global challenges like climate change, environment, and sustainable consumption and production (SCP).
“The European Green Deal, adopted by the EU in December 2019, is the growth agenda for Europe in the next decades, aiming at promoting circularity in energy-intense sectors, ensuring greener and more sustainable food processing, setting ambitious standards for products, reducing food losses and waste and empowering consumers in their daily choices for products and services,” he added.
The Eco-Fair project presents a great opportunity for Viet Nam to progress towards a more sustainable agri-food sector by engaging value chain stakeholders, including private sector and consumer groups, and policy-makers to achieve the switch to more sustainable consumption and production, said Duchateau.
As one of the units accompanying the project in Viet Nam, Le Hoang Tai, deputy director of the Trade Promotion Department, Ministry of Industry and Trade, highly appreciated and recognised the efforts and results of the project implementation towards the goals of promoting sustainable production and a market for eco-fair agri-food processing products in Viet Nam.
The project has contributed to prosperity, reduced poverty, enhanced livelihoods, and moved towards an economy circulation and green growth in Viet Nam, he added.
The Ministry of Industry and Trade also affirmed that it would accompany the project in promoting supply and demand for eco-fair agricultural products, towards sustainable consumption. — VNS


text:
Classic cars, unforgettable show
DELAVAN—Lake Lawn Resort was filled with automotive classics last Sunday, from a famous Blue Max to a 1940 Ford, in the Cars Time Forgot car show.
And whether they were looking under the hoods, or simply admiring the bodies, plenty of visitors were drawn to the vintage and classic cars. Organizers estimate the crowd numbers into the thousands for a show that also featured events on Friday and Saturday.
See more photos of classic cars in the upcoming July 20 print or e-edition of Walworth County Sunday, or check online at www.communityshoppers.com for a photo gallery.

domain: news


text:
Almost everyone has decided to go on a diet at some point in hopes of losing a few pounds and improving his or her health. With a nearly constant flow of new fad diets being pushed online and on social media, it can be difficult to know which diet will be most helpful for you. While plenty of the popular diets will help you lose weight and may improve aspects of your health, Dr. Stephen Kopecky, a Mayo Clinic cardiologist, says one diet stands out for its proven ability to help people live longer.
Journalists: Broadcast-quality video pkg (1:00) is in the downloads at the end of the post.
Please "Courtesy: Mayo Clinic News Network." Read the script.
If you knew there was a diet that could not only help you manage your weight, but also could help you live longer, it would certainly catch your attention.
"It really helps us reduce many diseases – not just heart disease, also Alzheimer's disease," Dr. Kopecky says. "It reduces almost all cancers. It reduces arthritis. It's an anti-inflammatory diet, and, so, you have less joint pain."
While it may seem too good to be true, it's not. Dr. Kopecky says it has repeatedly stood up to scrutiny.
"It's one of the most studied diets we have in tens of thousands of patients, and has been shown to be very helpful for us," Dr. Kopecky says.
It's less restrictive than many fad diets you find online.
"It's very easy to do, and it can be very inexpensive," he says. "[It requires eating] more fruits and vegetables."
Also more fish and lean meats.
"It's really one of the highest fat diets after the keto diet because it's more monounsaturated fat from olive oil, avocado oil, nuts, things like that," Dr. Kopecky says.
It's the Mediterranean Diet Dr. Kopecky is talking about, and he says it could really improve your health.


text:
Contrary to popular opinion (as expressed on Marketwatch on Wednesday), not all restaurateurs are the same. More importantly, not all restaurateurs are losing customers whose wallets have been sucked dry by high gas prices. Outback Steakhouse
Marketwatch correctly pointed out the flagging fortunes of a whole row of restaurants, in a column titled "Roadside restaurants suffer from gas." (Clever title, by the way.) The story noted how Applebee's
But as my Foolish colleague W.D. Crotty highlighted earlier this week, not all restaurateurs create profits equally. Benihana turned in a sterling quarter, sporting a 13% year-over-year increase in sales, plus profits that topped Wall Street's $0.36 per share estimate by more than a nickel.
Similarly, today we saw Outback chime in with its own good news to waft away the gas-fume gloom. In its monthly update on same-store sales developments, Outback noted that its eponymous brand saw August same-store sales decline -- but by just a tenth of one percent.
More importantly, Outback's satellite brands saw excellent growth. Carrabba's Italian Grill grew same-store sales by 8.1%, Bonefish Grill expanded 9.6%, Roy's increased 12.1%, and Fleming's Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar jumped an impressive 16%, all year over year.
What's perhaps most noteworthy in Outback's announcement is that, of the four chains that grew sales, three are entirely company-owned. Only Bonefish Grill (along with the Outback brand itself) uses a franchise model to supplement its 77 company-owned shops. It just goes to show that, even if "the trend is [not] your friend," good management can still save the day.
Can Outback buck the trend long-term? Check out its past performance and decide for yourself:
Fool contributor Rich Smith owns no shares in any of the companies mentioned in this article.


text:
Like any good business, the idea was borne from what was seen as a real need in town.
We realized people have less and less time to cook,” said Melissa Nicholson, one on the founders of En-Tray, a new prepared meals business. “The concept was successful in other towns along the shoreline, but we didn’t have it here. So we decided to open.”
En-Tray, which has been open only a few weeks, is already starting to get strong word of mouth, helped by the active person-to-person marketing that partners Nicholson and Shelly Johnson have engaged in. Local businesses can attest to seeing Nicholson, samples in hand, stopping by throughout town.
The business may be new, but the friendship is not. Johnson previously owned a daycare center, one Melissa worked for. They were neighbors, living on the same Branford street. And now they are business partners.
The initial launch has been exciting, especially since the women are focused on feedback and evolving. “We know we can’t be everything to everybody,” said Nicholson. "So we are exploring a bunch of options.”
Those options already include standard meals that are priced between $8-$12, but also gluten free and vegan options, which are selling well. Offerings range from pastas to seafood to pork, with new creations out on a regular basis.
Part of the evolution of the company is about education, both their own and the customers. Some are surprised that it is not a restaurant option, one cannot come in and eat at tables; it is pick up only. But on the menu options, the feedback is crucial, and can be, at times, implemented quickly as food is prepared on a daily basis.
There are also dessert options available, and custom cakes and desserts can be ordered a week in advance. Johnson, who does much of the baking and whose goods have been seen on the shelves of Brunello’s and P&M Deli, is joined by a professional chef in the kitchen for meal preparation.
Most of all, Nicholson and Johnson are looking to be engaged with the community and are asking for feedback. What types of food are best for you and your family? Do you prefer meals family style or in single serve packages? What dietary elements would you like to see?
En-tray has set up a Facebook page where daily food offerings are posted and residents can leave comments and feedback.
“We want to be a part of the community, and help serve the residents and families in town,” said Nicholson. “Response has been great, and we look forward to hearing more from the community.”
En-Tray is located at 906 West Main Street, next to Hanami II on Branford Hill. The hours are Monday-Friday 11 – 6, and Saturday from 9 to 2.
Follow En-Tray on Facebook here.


text:
Director of Spirits Allison Varone reflects on the beverage suite
There are no “how to survive a pandemic” courses taught in business schools, at least there were none at the dawn of 2020. As the spirits industry looks to the post era -lockdown, industry leaders such as Belvedere’s Allison Varone take stock of the pandemic’s biggest lessons.
Varone, vice president of emerging brands at Moët Hennessy, was, like many in her field, about to launch what promised to be a busy spring in early 2020. “For Belvedere, we were about to launch a new campaign and a big ad push,” Varone says. “We were gearing up for a lot of in-person events and consumer experiences and it just all stopped.”
Varone, who oversees luxury brands Belvedere, Glenmorangie and Volcan de Mi Tierra, had no idea whether consumers stuck at home would want to continue paying for premium products. “We didn’t know if consumers would be willing to pay for luxury goods while stuck at home,” the veteran executive said. “One of the biggest lessons we learned during those months was that even in times of great uncertainty, consumers turned to brands they trusted, which provided them with an elevated experience.”
A surge in retail sales brought a few surprises, including an increase in online shopping and increased demand for larger bottles. With bars reopening, retail sales are starting to stabilize, but retail sales remain strong, suggesting a new type of consumer behavior. “As people return to some normality, you still see a lot of people doing home entertainment, home cocktails, tablescapes,” says Varone. “Behaviours have changed a bit, but some of them will probably stay.”
What is different between 2022 and 2020? “Consumers really crave to socialize and be together,” says Varone. “What I’ve seen, through our consumer activations, is that they want these moments to be meaningful, memorable and less frivolous than they have been in the past.”
Varone is planning several events for the spring and summer, but notes that issues such as crowd size and outdoor space availability are considerations in a way that they weren’t before. “We always hope to evolve with the new behaviors,” adds Varone.
“In a certain sense, we are back to normal, but there is also still caution. We are looking for more organized and thoughtful events. Maybe they’re not that big. These big gatherings – we’re going to digress a bit.


text:
After what seemed like an eternity, the talks about Spotify arriving stateside are about to come true. According to the latest reports online, it looks like the music streaming service that’s popular on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean will be making its way to our shores – this week. While this is certainly great news for everybody looking forward to using the service, it won’t be available to everyone right away.
Like Google+, Spotify will be launching as an invite-only service; giving its existing subscribers having the power to hand out invitations. This way the service can control how many people join up at the same time so there won’t be an overload of users.
What’s interesting about the launch is that Spotify hasn’t gotten the approval from Warner Music Group yet – even though the service is said to have sealed the deal with the remainder of the big four, so if it does launch this week, it might have a huge chunk missing from its catalog. That or they use Warner’s music illegally. Well it’s already Monday today, with 6 days left into the week, we won’t have to wait too long to find out if rumors are true. Anybody still excited about Spotify?
- 2014-04-13: Sprint And Spotify Reportedly Joining Forces
- 2014-03-27: Spotify IPO Expected This Fall
- 2014-03-25: Spotify Premium Is Now 50% Cheaper For US College Students
- 2014-03-24: Nokia MixRadio First Global Music Streaming Service To Launch In China
- 2014-03-23: Apple Spotify Rival Release Possible [Report]
- 2011-09-23: Spotify now open to everyone in the US
- 2011-07-14: Spotify launches in the US later today
- 2011-06-17: Spotify rumored to launch this July
- 2011-02-23: Spotify to arrive in the US very soon
- 2011-02-08: Spotify hitting the States soon?


text:
Health bosses have called for meal deals to be axed and made illegal in major supermarkets and other stores such as petrol stations due to concerns about their effect on people's health.
Dr O'Shea, the HSE's clinical lead, said these deals almost always include solely unhealthy food options and therefore should be banned. Speaking on The Pat Kenny Show on Wednesday, Dr. O'Shea, the HSE's clinical lead said "Literally, that should be illegal."
Meal deals are a common offer in stores of all shapes and sizes, with Tesco, M&S, Sainsbury's, ASDA and Morrisons all featuring such offers - despite varying in price and food range.
He continued: "The industry has the statistics and they know how to prompt and promote consumption, And 70% of people will say no the first time, but if the person behind the counter says 'well are you sure, it's a good offer'. Then another 30% will say 'ah yeah, go on'.
"They are actually trained because the industry has the stats and they know how to prompt and they know how to promote consumption. We just have to be super aware of that and try to resist it. Those buy one get one free offers are always around the high fat, high salt, high sugar stuff, never around fruit.”
Earlier this month the World Health Organisation (WHO) released a major report that revealed obesity is responsible for 200,000 cancer cases and 1.2 million deaths a year in Europe.
The report said: "Alarmingly, there have been consistent increases in the prevalence of overweight and obesity in the WHO European region and no member state is on track to reach the target of halting the rise in obesity by 2025. Across the WHO European region, obesity is likely to be directly responsible for at least 200,000 new cancer cases annually, with this figure projected to rise in the coming decades. For some countries within the region, it is predicted that obesity will overtake smoking as the main risk factor for preventable cancer.”
Responding to the report's findings, O'Shea said: "We're beginning to see the impact of the Covid restrictions on weight patterns in young people. We have a kind of population separation. About 2 per cent of the population are super fit, have abs and bodies to die for. And the rest of us have fallen into what is now 65 per cent of adults overweight or obese and unfortunately the childhood stats have not improved.”


text:
Since the last couple of years, Tata Motors has been on a roll, as the homegrown carmaker has been posting some really impressive sales numbers off late. The carmaker has worked extensively on various aspects like new-generation design and engines and safety, and the efforts are now paying well in its favour. Tata Motors is upping its pace for strengthening its position in India as a leading carmaker, and for that, it is prepping up six new SUVs which will arrive in the coming years. Here’s the complete information on all the new SUVs from Tata Motors in the works.
Tata Punch Turbo
While the Punch has become hugely popular with its attractive micro-SUV styling and a coveted 5-star rating in Global NCAP crash tests, the not-so-powerful 1.2-litre naturally-aspirated petrol engine is its Achilles heel. Tata is said to be working on a more powerful turbocharged version of this engine, which should solve the problem of lack of power. Just like the Altroz i-Turbo, the Punch Turbo will also get a 1.2-litre turbo-petrol engine, which will make 110 PS of power and 140 Nm of torque.
There is a huge gap in between the Nexon sub-compact SUV and Harrier midsize SUV, and to fill in this space, Tata Motors is reportedly working on an all-new premium compact SUV. This new SUV will take on the fresh new competition from the SUVs like Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos, Volkswagen Taigun, Skoda Kushaq, MG Astor and Nissan Kicks. The details of this all-new SUV are scarce at the moment, however, like all the other Tata products, this new SUV will be high on visual appeal, space and safety. Rumoured to be called Tata Blackbird, this new SUV is said to be offered with 1.5-litre turbo-petrol and 1.5-litre diesel engine options.
Tata Nexon EV
The Tata Nexon EV has already become a runaway success for the Indian carmaker as India’s highest-selling and most popular electric vehicle. To make sure it keeps the momentum running, Tata Motors is reportedly working on an updated version of the sub-compact electric SUV. This new version will get a couple of updates like new alloy wheels. However, the biggest improvement will be in the maximum range offered by this SUV. Compared to the current ARAI-claimed 312 km range, the updated version of the Tata Nexon EV is expected to offer a 400 km range.
Tata Harrier petrol
The Tata Harrier is the only offering in the midsize-SUV segment, which is offered with only a diesel engine and no petrol engine option. However, the wait seems to end finally, as Tata Motors has started testing the petrol-powered version of the Harrier. While it will get the same design and set of features as its diesel-powered counterpart, the main difference will be there under its hood. The engine is believed to be an all-new 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol, which will be an upsized version of the 1.2-litre engine of the Nexon. This engine is expected to offer a power output of nearly 160 bhp.
Tata Safari petrol
If the Harrier will receive a petrol engine in near future, in all likelihood, its seven-seater version, the Safari too will receive the same. Tata Safari shares its platform and current engine and transmission options with the Harrier. The Safari has been spied testing with the same 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine, which is expected to make its presence in the Harrier very soon. Expect the Tata Safari petrol to offer similar power and torque outputs and with the same transmission options as in the Harrier petrol.
Tata Sierra EV
Tata showcased the stunning-looking Sierra concept at the Auto Expo 2020, which is touted to form the base for the production version of the Sierra midsize SUV. However, some recent reports have stated that the new Tata Sierra will come in an EV-only avatar – it will be sold as an electric vehicle only, and not with conventional petrol and diesel engines. The new Tata Sierra takes design inspiration from the first-generation Sierra sold in the nineties, which happened to be the first-ever passenger vehicle from Tata Motors. However, unlike the old Sierra, this new Sierra will be a five-door SUV, the powertrain details of which are unknown for the moment.
The post 6 new Tata SUVs lined up for launch in India: Blackbird to Punch Turbo first appeared on Cartoq.


text:
For the past few years, electric racing has been on the rise and is lucrative enough for many manufacturers to step in. Among them are Nissan, Audi, BMW, Jaguar, DS, Mahindra and Mercedes. Even Renault raced for the first four years before dropping out to focus on F1. Even Porsche will be on their way to the sport. But what about Ferrari?
In 2017, the late Sergio Marchionne met with Mercedes motorsport boss Toto Wolff ahead of that year’s Hungarian Grand Prix. One of the topics they discussed was the future of Formula E.
Porsche announced it own FE move as it pulled the plug on its LMP1 project in WEC. Asked about a possible FE entry, Marchionne said: “I talked with Toto, but I do not think Ferrari enters directly.
“However, we are thinking of doing so as FCA. And if we will enter, with one of the brands from the group, we do not know which one it will be right now.”
Now, in lieu of that revelation, an artist by the name of Matteo Gentile created a concept of a Ferrari Formula E car. It was in accordance with the current Gen 2 specs and it looked quite stunning.


text:
3-year retail treasury bond for sale starting Feb. 9
MANILA, Philippines—Domestic borrowing by the government continues with the sale starting on Feb. 9 by the Bureau of Treasury of at least P30 billion worth of retail treasury bonds (RTBs) with a three-year tenor to small investors.
The RTB sale would be on top of swapping maturing debt papers.
The notice of offering, posted on the Treasury website on Friday (Feb. 5), said the offer period for the Philippine government’s 25th overall and the Duterte administration’s eighth RTB issuance since 2016 will be until March 4.
The RTBs maturing in 2024 will be sold in multiples of P5,000.
Besides selling to new investors, the Treasury will also exchange fresh RTBs for earlier-issued three-year RTBs maturing in June, 10 year-RTBs maturing in October and three other IOUs maturing in March, April and November.
Since the Treasury will hold the rate-setting auction for RTBs on Feb. 9, it cancelled its scheduled sale of three-year T-bonds on Feb. 16.
Just like previous issuances, these RTBs will be made available online via the Treasury website as well as the BONDS.PH and Overseas Filipino Bank (OFBank) apps for Filipinos working or living abroad.
Despite a pandemic-induced recession, the Treasury raised a record P516.3 billion from five-year RTBs dubbed as “progreso bonds” at a coupon rate of 2.625 percent in August 2020.
It also issued P310.8 billion in three-year RTBs at a higher 4.375-percent coupon rate in February 2020.
While promoted as a way for retail investors to grow their money through government securities, proceeds from the RTB sale would be injected into the national government budget.
For 2021, the government had programmed borrowings of P2.58 trillion from the domestic market through the sale of treasury bills and bonds, accounting for the bulk or 85 percent of the total gross borrowings expected to reach P3.03 trillion by end of the year.
Subscribe to INQUIRER PLUS to get access to The Philippine Daily Inquirer & other 70+ titles, share up to 5 gadgets, listen to the news, download as early as 4am & share articles on social media. Call 896 6000.


text:
Leading polysilicon and multicrystalline solar wafer producer, GCL-Poly Energy Holdings has reported a loss of RMB 1,011.4 million (US$150.7 million) for its ‘Solar Material Business’ unit in 2018, citing the demand impact from the China 531 New Deal that led to overcapacity and rapidly falling selling prices.
GCL-Poly’s Solar Material Business’ unit, which includes 70,000MT of polysilicon production capacity and 30,000MW of multicrystalline solar wafer capacity reported total revenue from external customers in 2018 of RMB 14,436 million (US$2.15 billion), down 25.4% from RMB 19,355 million in 2017.
Polysilicon production declined 17.4% to around 61,785MT, compared to 74,818MT in the previous year. However, polysilicon sales to external customers increased by 173.9% in 2018.
Multicrystalline wafer production only increased 1.2% in 2018, reaching 24,189MW, compared to 23,902MW in 2019.
Wafer sales volume in 2018 was 24,761MW, up 5.7%, compared to a sales volume of 23,417MW, in 2017.
GCL-Poly said that the decrease in revenue and negative profits were primarily due to steep declines in average selling prices (ASPs). The average ASP of polysilicon in 2018 (excluding tax), declined to US$11.73/kg, compared to US$15.46/kg in 2017, a 24.8% decline, year-on-year.
The average ASP decline for wafers was higher, having been at US$0.134/W in 2017, declined 37% to US$0.087/W in 2018. The ASP declines were more pronounced in the second-half of 2018, after China’s utility-scale and Distributed Generation (DG) support policies were stopped at the end of May, 2018.
GCL-Poly reported total 2018 revenue of RMB 20,565.4 (US$3.06 billion), down 13.6% from the previous year. Total loss for 2018 was RMB 458.4 million (US$68.2 million), down 38.6% from 2017.


text:
Many startups have removed friction for consumers trying to cash in on an online deal. Deals sites like Groupon and Livingsocial send out targeted alerts when deals come online, store your payment info for quick checkouts and encourage users to get the deep discounts before they sell out.
A new Seattle startup aims to bring that frictionless feeling to the other side of the table. DealTapp says its goal is to make posting deals as easy as posting to Facebook for restaurants, bars and entertainment venues.
The company’s partners can quickly snap shots of discounted items, dial in the discount offer (at least 75 percent off for now, but often free), and select how many discounted items are offered. The deal is then posted to the DealTapp network, where users can claim offers to cash in next time they’re at the store, using tokens bought in the app if there’s any price to pay.
“Ultimately, we want our users to turn to DealTapp to discover new places to eat, drink, and find entertainment,” DealTapp co-founder David Gardner said. “We aim to be on the cutting edge of what’s new and exciting in Seattle.”
That doesn’t mean the app won’t be expanding to other cities, but right now, the small team is focused on building up a user base.
“Portland and San Francisco are at the top of our list for expansion when the time comes,” Gardner said. “We are entirely self-funded at the moment and intend to remain that way at least until we have established ourselves in Seattle. We’ve have had a couple of discussions with some third parties, but have opted not to pursue those options for the time being.”
Instead, the team wants to stay small. That not only helps them maneuver, but also helps them respond to their partner businesses better. Gardner and his co-founder Miles Hubbard give out their personal numbers so businesses can always get in contact with them.
Gardner and Hubbard have worked together before on a few websites before, but nothing of this scale. Hubbard is a drummer in a local band and Gardner was involved in film and video production before starting this venture.
The latest addition to the DealTapp app is Paseo, a Cuban sandwich shop named one of the top three places to eat in the country. While it’s initial batch of 50 free sandwiches is already sold out, you can download the app to claim the next batch when Paseo posts them. The DealTapp app is available on iOS and Android, with information from businesses available on their about page.


text:
Macy’s and Kohl’s miss mark in December; Nordstrom shines
New York City — On the heels of a strong November, some department store retailers reported surprisingly weak December revenue. Results were impacted by a blizzard in the Northeast, which took a bite out of sales after Christmas.
The results raised some worries that the holiday season might be less stellar than some had hoped. Still, much of Wall Street still predicts that November and December spending will show the largest annual increase since 2006.
"It’s not shaping up to be a blowout holiday for retailers. It’s slow and steady," said Ken Perkins, president of RetailMetrics.
Macy’s missed the Wall Street mark with a same-store sales gain of 3.9%. Analysts expected a same-store sales rise of 4.5%. But the combined November and December figure rose 4.6% and the retailer is maintaining its profit outlook for the fourth quarter.
“Sales in December were strong at both Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s, consistent with our high expectations, despite snowstorms that disrupted after-Christmas shopping along the East Coast,” said Terry J. Lundgren, chairman, president and CEO of Macy’s.
Kohl’s Corp. also fell short of expectations. The company’s same-store sales rose 3.9% in December, compared with the 4.3% increase analysts expected. For the five weeks ended Jan. 1, Kohl’s said total revenue climbed 5.9% to $3.19 billion. Online revenue surged 66%.
At J.C. Penney, same-store sales rose a better-than-expected 3.7% surpassing Wall Street’s expected 3.3% gain. It was the chain’s best holiday sales gains since 2006. Total December sales increased 2.3% to $2.96 billion, with the chain’s off-mall and newer stores, including its Manhattan location, outperforming the company average.
Higher-end retailers turned in strong results as affluent consumers returned to spending. Both Saks and Nordstrom outpaced estimates. Nordstrom reported an 8.4% increase in December same-store sales, while, Saks said same-store sales rose 11.8%.
J.C. Penney same-store sales rose 3.7% surpassing Wall Street’s expected 3.3% gain.
Other department store same-store sales results include:
- Dillard’s same-store sales rose 7%.
- Bon-Ton same-store sales edged up 0.1%, citing severe snowstorms for its weak performance.
Many retailers fall a bit short in December; Limited and Abercrombie shine in specialty sector
New York City — After coming off a strong November, U.S. retailers found their momentum largely waned in December, with sales impacted by a still-cautious consumer, early discounting and a blizzard that crippled the Northeast in the days immediately after Christmas. But while many chains missed Wall Street’s heightened expectations for December, the retail industry still turned in its strongest holiday performance since 2006.
The International Council of Shopping Centers said its index of December same-store sales rose 3.1% versus a year ago, short of the 3.5% rise expected by analysts.
The overall season was good, but the strength came from the beginning of the season," said Michael P. Niemira, chief economist, ICSC, in an Associated Press report. "This is kind of a wake-up call. It’s back to reality."
Thomson Reuters, which tracks same-store sales for a group of 28 national chains, said total sales for the group were expected to post a 3.4% increase in same-store sales for December, following a 5.6% bump in November.
Still, if retailers hit the 3.4% mark, it would be the best showing since December 2006, when same-store sales rose 4.7%.
Strong online sales, which many retailers don’t include in their monthly figures, also brightened the holiday spending picture as well. Consumers spent 13% more online this holiday season, ringing up a record $30.81 billion in spending, according to comScore.
On the apparel front, Limited reported a 5% rise in same-store sales, beating analysts’ expectations of a 4.6% gain, and Buckle, which recorded a 6.1% same-store sales gain, when a 4.5% gain was expected. Abercrombie & Fitch’s same-store sales soared 15%.
Among those that didn’t fare well in December was Gap, whose same-store sales dropped 3%, missing Wall Street expectations for a 2.6% gain. Net sales were flat at $2 billion.
By division, same-store sales at Gap North America stores fell 8%. At Old Navy North America stores the figure was down 2% International results declined 4%. The one bright spot was Banana Republic North America, where same-store sales edged up 1% in December.
American Eagle saw same-store sales plummet 11% and total sales fell 6%. Analysts expected a same-store sales decline of 1.7%.
In other apparel same-store results for December:
- Aeropostale same-store sales slid 5%.
- Urban Outfitters same-store sales were flat.
- Zumiez same-store sales rose 9.2%, but missed Wall Street expectations of an 11.5% gain.
Who is my eStore manager?
Coming out of a Macy’s store a man introduced himself as the store manager and thanked us for shopping at Macy’s. Driving back home my 7 year old daughter asked me: “Dad who is the store manager when you buy at home on your laptop?” Hmmm…never thought about that before.
I looked back thinking about the e-retailers that I have worked with and started searching for the person in the ecommerce organization who has the bottom line responsibility of website operations, sales and profitability goals and customer satisfaction:
- .com VP/president?
- Customer service manager?
- IT manager?
- Content manager?
- Marketing manager?
Everyone had a stake in the game but the question remained: Who is my eStore manager?
Store manager are measured based on the sales and profitability targets as well as customer satisfaction. To meet their objectives, store manager for brick-and-mortar store take responsibility for all store operations including customer satisfaction, sales and returns management, in-store marketing, inventory management, loss prevention and risk management.
Like brick-and-mortar stores; product, price and customer service still hold the paramount importance for the eStore. However, success of eStore is critically dependent upon few additional factors:
- Website availability: Your eStore is always available for business.
- Website performance: Response time which customers experience while on the eStore.
- Ease of navigation and product availability: Your eStore can carry "unlimited" products.
- Website scalability: Your eStore can accommodate huge number of customers while providing them with individual experience.
If you look carefully at what differentiates an eStore from a regular store you will notice a lot more IT system aspects that calls for a very diverse skill set in your eStore manager.
Majority of retailers continue to manage their e-commerce operations with separate business and IT teams similar to their bricks and mortar stores. This often results in a sub-optimal customer experience from retailers’ eStore, which is not consistent with the brick-and-mortar stores potentially hurting retailers brand image.
In our experience, setting up a dedicated eStore operations team can solve this problem.
The eStore manager — person leading the eStore operations team — should have the bottom line responsibility for successfully running the eStores and measured for the defined sales, profitability and customer experience and satisfaction metrics. The eStore manager should have the ability and organizational power to bring business and IT together to run the eStore.
Depending on organization’s maturity and culture one can chose to bring in a mix of Business and IT resources to the eStore operations team to provide an enriching experience to the customer.
The advantage of such an organization framework is:
- eStore operations becomes a specialized function and the team provides a good balance of resources combining business and IT functions.
- Running the eStore is a critical organization function. Your eStore is one of the largest stores in the organization with needs care 24×7 as your eStore is always open for business. Having dedicated focus allows quick turn around and better service to your customers.
Over last few years, online channel has grown in importance. There is a strong need and a business case to establish the dedicated eStore organization if online channel is part of long term strategy. Even the retailers who have identified the need are often struggling to setup the right organization structure.
Manish Lonial is a Principal in the Next Generation Commerce practice of Infosys Consulting. He can be reached at [email protected].
Akhilesh Srivastava is a senior principal in the retail, distribution and CPG practice of Infosys Consulting. He can be reached at [email protected].


text:
As global population numbers surpass a staggering eight billion, the urgency for sustainable food sources, particularly protein, intensifies. At the same time, traditional intensive farming practices are increasingly scrutinised: they’re resource intensive, not environmentally friendly and associated with the overuse of antibiotics.
“It’s often quoted that the world needs to produce 50 percent more food by 2050 to feed nearly 10 billion people,” said Melanie Weingarten, Head of Biotransformation Department at A*STAR’s Singapore Institute of Food and Biotechnology Innovation (SIFBI).
In a recent article, Weingarten and team explored a variety of alternative protein sources ranging from plant-based and lab-grown meats to insects and proteins produced through microbial fermentation. The researchers found that these alternative sources offer several benefits for meeting rising global food demands.
Firstly, they’re greener than traditional livestock farming, which consumes substantial land and water resources and can negatively impact biodiversity. Alternative proteins also address concerns about antibiotic resistance, the risk of zoonotic diseases, and connections between consumption of red meat and certain cancers. Moreover, diversifying protein sources may prove crucial in densely populated regions where traditional meat consumption becomes less tenable.
Weingarten emphasised that the advent of emerging food technologies could mark the start of a new era in the alternative protein sector. For example, the recent regulatory approval of a Singapore-based technology for manufacturing lab-grown chicken meat marked a milestone in the future of cultured meat.
Despite these advancements, Weingarten acknowledged that alternative proteins still have a way to go before they can become a staple on restaurant menus and supermarket shelves.
“We believe that one impactful innovation that can really change customers’ acceptance and adoption of alternative protein products is alternative lipids,” explained Weingarten, whose team is delving into the production of fermentation-based alternative lipids that replicate the taste and texture of animal proteins.
Together with a Japanese food manufacturing industry partner, Weingarten’s team also developed a fungal fermentation process to transform okara (a by-product of soy production) into highly nutritious fungal biomass that can be used as a very valuable main ingredient in gyoza. Likewise, the team is also engaged with Australian and Dutch collaborators to create fermented protein from bread waste and fermented proteins for plant-based milk.
The researchers are optimistic about the impact of these next-generation alternative proteins, especially in Asian markets, where demographic growth and increasing wealth is driving changes in consumer behaviour. Countries like China and India are seeing a rising consumer interest in meat alternatives.
With a nod to the past, Weingarten concluded that adopting eating habits of our grandparents, where meat was savoured as a weekend treat, can help steer us towards a sustainable food future. Weingarten envisioned that by 2035, every fifth portion of protein consumed worldwide could be from an alternative source.
The A*STAR-affiliated researchers contributing to this research are from the Singapore Institute of Food and Biotechnology Innovation (SIFBI) and the Institute of Sustainability for Chemicals, Energy and Environment (ISCE2).


text:
Since last October, Mondelez World Travel Retail has collaborated with non-profit organization One Tree Planted to help fund the reforestation of the Andes Mountains in South America through Toblerone sales. The company says that the project empowers traveling consumers in making more sustainable choices when they shop.
In particular, Mondelez WTR and Dubai Duty Free (DDF) celebrated Earth Month by bringing the Toblerone and One Tree Planted campaign to Dubai.
The DDF collaboration generously contributed over 5,000 trees to the initiative during the month of April. Supported by the campaign sales, Toblerone enjoyed a high double-digit uplift during the activation period versus the same period in 2019, leading the recovery of the category in the region.
Sales of the iconic 360g bars increased significantly versus 2019 levels as well.
The campaign’s main activa-tions engaged travelers across Dubai International Airport’s Concourse A and D plus various secondary spaces across all terminals and was supported by dedicated digital advertising on Dubai Duty Free’s e-commerce and social media pages.
Colm McLoughlin, Executive Vice Chairman & CEO of Dubai Duty Free, added: “It has been very rewarding to observe the customer response to the Toblerone initiative and the One Tree Planted campaign, which not only welcomes travelers back with a familiar and trusted brand, but supported them in giving back to the environment. We’re proud to champion such impactful sustainability initiatives as we enter an era of renewed growth and purpose for travel retail.”
Carlos Granados, Head of Global Sales, at Mondelez WTR,said: “Restoring the confectionery category to growth through close collaboration with our retail partners has remained at the top of our agenda at Mondelez World Travel Retail, and key to our strategy has been demonstrating that we are listening to our traveling consumers’ needs. Our long-standing partners at Dubai Duty Free have always shared our commitment to the category, and also recognize the importance of sustainability for travelers.
“This achievement underlines the power of Toblerone as an icon in travel retail and a brand with real purpose, but more importantly, what we can achieve through our dedicated partnerships. We’re looking forward to seizing more opportunities to drive growth for the channel – together.”


text:
Thai Metal Packaging Association(TMPA) and our alliances joined Food Pack Asia 2019 , The International Food processing and Packaging Exhibition ,which took place at BITEC Bangkok during February 13-16 ,2019.
TMPA NIGHT has been held on Jan 25,2019 at Montien Riverside Hotel ,Rama3, Bangkok.
for encouraging relationship among members and related parties. Thank to hornorable speakers on “Metal Packaging Digest”
David Hayes speaks with Thongchai Oranrigsupak, the newly elected president of the Thai Metal Packaging Industry, about the state of the metal packaging industry in Thailand currently , and his ambitions for the role.


text:
Every company today is a tech company, a maxim that was proven out today when one of the world's oldest and biggest art auction houses acquired an AI startup. Sotheby's has bought Thread Genius, which has built a set of algorithms that can both instantly identify objects and then recommend images of similar objects to the viewer. Sotheby's' said it is not disclosing the value of the deal but said it was non-material to the company. Thread Genius was a relatively young company, founded in 2015 and making a debut last year as part of TechStars New York's Winter 2017 cohort. Co-founders Andrew Shum and Ahmad Qamar, who were also Thread Genius's only two employees, were both engineering alums from Spotify.
Sep-21-2018, 12:10:49 GMT


text:
State adopts regs for Ride-share services
Ride-sharing companies like Lyft, Sidecar and UberX will have to obtain state licenses and put their drivers through training under rules passed Thursday by state regulators.
The California Public Utilities Commission approved 28 regulations that are designed to ensure the safety of a relatively new and increasingly popular transportation service in which riders and drivers connect through smartphone apps.
Critics had voiced concern that the industry didn't face the same standards that traditional taxi companies face.
"Our decision emphasizes safety as a primary objective, while fostering the development of this nascent industry," said Commissioner Mark J. Ferron, in a statement issued by the CPUC.
The new rules require ride-sharing companies to hold minimum levels of insurance, run background checks on drivers and maintain strict policies prohibiting drugs and alcohol.


text:
Discount retail chain backs online petition calling for rates revaluation
Discount retailer Poundland is backing a petition by Colliers International calling on the Government to scrap the planned postponement of the business rates revaluation.
Poundland said the decision to postpone the 2015 revaluation until 2017 was "reckless" given the decline of the retail market, adding it would only serve to continue the "injustice" of businesses paying pre-recessionary set rates.
The chain's national portfolio manager, Ben Wall, said: "Postponing the revaluation only serves to delay the structured recalibration of the high street, which is needed for it to survive. I strongly believe that the Government is making a reckless decision, given the fragile state of the retail sector.
"Our business relies upon the estimates of business rates during the period of the rating list, which are key to the financial models on which we base our decisions on opening new stores, relocating and extending existing properties.
NEW IN : for those cold winter nights highland check dog and cat beds in stock, fleecy and washable ideal for those nights snuggling by the fire...... available in 3 colourways
Contact: 01271 440626
Valid until: Saturday, January 25 2014
"The postponement of the revaluation until 2017 will surely have unintended consequences and will mean that, in some situations, new store viability will be affected. Not only that, but with each new store employing around 30 people, our ability to create jobs will be significantly reduced."
The retailer, which has around 300 UK stores, warned the postponement could lead to more casualties on the high street, following the collapse of household names such as Clintons, Peacocks, JJB Sports and Comet.
Colliers ratings specialist, Ben Batchelor-Wylam said there was "no logic" behind the decision to delay the rating revaluation, saying: "Politics leading economics is fundamentally wrong.
"Poundland has obviously realised the postponement will impact on many retailers in High Streets across the West who are already struggling and facing financial hardship.
"The revaluation would give relief to a great many places where rents have fallen. To prohibit that liquidity is wrong."
The proposal to delay the 2015 rating revaluation until 2017 is one of a number of measures being put forward by the Department for Communities and Local Government as part of the Growth and Infrastructure Bill.
If implemented, businesses will continue to pay business rates based on property values in 2008, instead of current values, which are considerably less.
Mr Batchelor-Wylam added: "The Government seems determined to go ahead with the proposed plan but with enough pressure from business it will hopefully see sense and reverse what is frankly a ludicrous idea.
"This is not a fait accompli. With enough support and backing from business we can get the Government to scrap its plans to postpone the 2015 rating revaluation."
Colliers' e-petition can be accessed at http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/41598. It said if the petition receives 100,000 signatures it will be considered for debate in the House of Commons.


text:
35, Co-founder and president, SoCore Energy
In a renewable-energy industry that is flush with idealism, Pete Kadens stands out as a pragmatist. "I'm certainly a dreamer, but I also need a clear vision to be able to execute a business model with crisp precision. I need a finite path to manageable success," Mr. Kadens says.
He also stands out because his company, SoCore Energy, is a rarity in solar energy: a profitable, 30-employee business with revenue in excess of $30 million that's growing 500 percent per year thanks to contracts with businesses such as Ikea and Walgreen Co.
SoCore's approach defies traditional solar-energy thinking on several fronts. First, the company is based in Chicago rather than in a more solar-friendly (aka sunny) market. Second, SoCore has carved out a niche without developing its own technology; it leases and resells equipment designed by other manufacturers. Then there's the sales pitch: SoCore is the rare green-energy outfit that markets its systems around dollars-and-cents savings instead of leading with solar power's earth-friendliness.
Another factor in SoCore's favor: The costs of solar equipment have plummeted 75 percent since its launch in 2008, due largely to oversupply, putting solar manufacturers in a bind while rewarding companies such as SoCore, which designs solar installations for commercial businesses and real estate investment trusts.
The low prices underscore Mr. Kadens' bottom-line-oriented approach to sales. He makes choosing solar "a smart, practical decision that works from a business perspective. In solar, that's been missing," says Glen Tullman, chairman of SoCore's board and CEO of Allscripts Healthcare Solutions Inc. of Chicago.


text:
This week Gareth, Justin, and Michael examine the latest wave of Virtual Conventions. They discuss the latest Xbox reveal as well as the pending USC Virtual games event and news that SDCC will take place as a virtual event this year. They also discuss the Disney parks opening in China and resumption of filming in some areas.
01:00 Virtual Convention announcements
02:54 Xbox Series X showcase initial thoughts
14:14 USC Games Expo 2020 May 12th – 2 PM PST
19:02 EA Play Live (June 11, 4:00PM Pacific)
25:35 Sony Reveal Rumor
26:50 SDCC going virutal / 4-day schedule
40:58 Filming resuming / Disney Shanghai reopens


text:
A coalition of car dealers and owners on Thursday staged a demonstration against the luxury vehicle tax in Accra
They presented a petition to the Ministry of Finance and Parliament.
Dubbed: “Bobolebobo demonstration”, the demonstrators were from the Vehicle and Asset Dealers Association of Ghana (
Wearing red armbands, some of them carried placards and had car stickers with various inscriptions such as “Ken Ofori Atta wake up”, “Vehicle taxes is a bad idea, Ken Ofori Atta”, “arrest the Dollar and stop the killer taxes”, Car dealers Y’enu
Ghana News Headlines
For latest news in Ghana, visit Graphic Online news headlines page Ghana news page
The government introduced the vehicle luxury tax in August 2018 as a new policy to help raise more revenue.
Vehicles with engine capacity of 2950 to 3549 Cubic Centimetres are required to pay GH¢1,000, while those with engines between 3,550 to 4049 cubic centimetres pay GH¢1,500.
Vehicles with engine capacities above 4049cc are to pay GH¢2,000.
Mr Eric K. Boateng, chairman of VADAG and
He said they have given a two-week ultimatum to
According to Mr Boateng, over 5,000 supposed luxury vehicles have been parked in various garages across the country as prospective buyers have refused to buy them because they were trying to avoid the levy.
He said those who went for loans to import their vehicles are unable to pay back and are being harassed by their bankers.
Others, he said have not been able to afford their children’s school fees
For his part, the General Secretary of the Vehicle and Asset Dealers Association of Ghana, Nana Yaw Owusu Duodu, said the impact of the tax “is so huge to the extent that our vehicles are not being patronised.”
“We are demonstrating against the nuisance tax policy being implemented by the government,” he said.
The National Spokesperson of the True Drivers Union, Mr Yaw Barima, described the luxury vehicle tax as a "fraud" and an attempt to collapse businesses of spare parts dealers and car importers in the country.
Rev Michael Amponsah Ababio, an owner of a car with engine capacity of 3.0 said the tax is affecting his evangelism work as he cannot raise the tax as well as maintaining the vehicle.
The independent presidential candidate in the 2016 general elections, Mr Jacob Osei Yeboah who took part in the demonstration said, the ultimate aim of the luxury vehicle tax was to collapse businesses.
According to him, the levy has a lot of ripple effects on many businesses, particularly that of car importers and spare part dealers.
He was of the view that the tax was not well thought through and noted that
Mr Yeboah who described himself as the president of the needy said if
“Laws are not supposed to take retrospective effects but that is what is happening. This law was introduced overnight,” he bemoaned.
The Chief Director of the Ministry of Finance, Mr Patrick Nomo, who received the petition on behalf of the Minister, Ken Ofori Attah, gave an assurance that the petition will be given to the Minister for his perusal.
At Parliament House, Mr Emmanuel Akwasi Ayim Addo received the petition on behalf of the Speaker of Parliament, Professor Mike Oquaye.


text:
Apple was recently granted a patent that would allow the company to let you and the message recipient know when a word has been autocorrected. It's more likely than not that such a feature will be baked into iOS in a future update.
Have you been taking advantage of the personal assistant in your pocket? Here’s our guide to what Google Now can do and how to unleash its predictive powers. The guide also includes how to use Android M's Now on Tap.
The iPhone 6S Plus is a beautiful blend of glass and aluminum, but you have got to protect it if you want to avoid scuffs, scratches, and cracks. Check out the best iPhone 6S Plus cases and safeguard your phone today.
Everyone likes free apps, but sometimes the best ones are a bit expensive. Now and then, developers put paid apps on sale for a limited time, but you have to snatch them up fast. Here are the latest and greatest apps on sale in the iOS App…
The world of smartphones is dominated by Samsung and Apple, and the latest data shows the two tech giants are similarly in control of smartwatches. However, the rule may not be quite so rock solid just yet.
Apple took a big gamble with the iPhone SE, but it seems as though that gamble is paying off. iPhone SE sales are reportedly higher than even Apple expected, outstripping supply and leading to wait times on the Apple Store.
The FBI has decided to not disclose the method it used to hack the San Bernardino shooter's iPhone. It's a move that will likely tick Apple and privacy advocates off, but the FBI claims its agents do not know the details of the…


text:
While we had reported on rumors Apple planning on finally shifting some of its product line to support USB Type C port, it appears that the next gen AirPods Pro 2 will not be one of them and will retain the dated Lightning port.
In a series of new tweets, known analyst Ming Chi-Kuo stated that the brand will not include a USB C port on its highly anticipated second generation AirPods Pro. Kuo had previously stated that the Cupertino based giant will be moving a number of its products like the AirPods Pro to USB Type C format. However, the upcoming model won’t be making the shift as of yet. In other words, future iterations of Apple’s hearable products might be the first to move away from the Lightning port.
As of right now, the company is believed to be testing USB C ports for its iPhone 15 lineup. Apart from smartphones, it is also planning on eventually shifting its MagSafe charger, Mac keyboards and mouse to the USB standards. All of these currently have the Lightning port. The analyst added that “I predict the charging case of AirPods Pro 2 will still support Lightning, not USB C.” As of right now, the entire AirPods lineup, including the top end AirPods Max, feature the Lightning port.
For those unaware, the AirPods Pro 2 will be the first successor to the popular AirPods Pro that the iPhone maker had launched back in 2019. It is rumored to get rid of the stem design, in favor of an all ear design similar to the Beats Fit Pro. The earbuds will also apparently offer various health related features as well as a new an improved charging case and enhanced audio quality.


text:
MINDEN, Nev., U.S. – DTS8 Coffee Company, Ltd., announced on September 17, 2015 that revenues for the three months ended July 31, 2015, were $99,051, as compared to $88,063 for the same 2014 quarter.
The increase, of approximately 12.5%, is attributable to an increase in sales volume to existing and new wholesale customers. Revenue growth is consistent with our well-established trend of year-over-year revenue growth.
Mr. Thomas, CEO of DTS8, said, “We are pleased with the current pace of revenue growth from our operations. Our primary objective for the future is to continue the increase in the volume of coffees sold and accelerate the rate of revenue growth.”
Further to the press release issued on September 10, 2015, DTS8 has received expressions of interest from several coffee roasting companies which management will further investigate.
Mr. Thomas added that “We are excited by the interest received, and I will be following up and meeting, as necessary, with the interested companies to evaluate the synergistic benefits to DTS8 from potential acquisition of interested parties.”


text:
Before reaching the market and even before production starts, the 5-nanometer Apple A14 of the iPhone 2020 is expected to be the first System on Chip in the world made with this technology. Recall that on several occasions and keynote Apple has emphasized its firsts in the field of processors for mobile devices, for years the fastest ever of any competitor, as well as among the most efficient in terms of energy consumption.
Cupertino earned the throne in the sector with Apple A7, the first 64bit mobile processor in the world and then again in 2018 with Apple A12, the first 7-nanometer SoC in the world. Considering the collaboration with TSMC and the huge investments made for years, it is very likely that this year with Apple A14 to 5 nanometers arriving with the iPhone 12 Apple will get a new record.
In the past months and years, clues have emerged several times in this sense, with investments exhibited already in 2018 by TSMC and an impressive roadmap that has led the chip and processor manufacturer from Taiwan to dominate the most sophisticated construction technologies. As the size of the transistors is reduced, improvements in speed and energy consumption are obtained.
The production process of the 5-nanometer Apple A14 with EUV lithography, abbreviation of Extreme Ultraviolet, applied to the ARM Cortex-A72 core is expected to lead to an increase of 1.8 in the density of the transistors and a 15% increase in the speed of the processor compared to the previous 7 nanometer process used for Apple A12 and then with improvements also in Apple A13 of the current iPhone 11 range.
According to DigiTimes, everything is ready at the TSMC plants for the start of industrial production, scheduled for the second quarter of this year, in time to accumulate stocks in view of the launch of the new iPhone 5G 2020. According to what has emerged so far, TSMC will also be for this 2020 the only manufacturer exclusively of Apple processors. Still according to advances, it seems that two thirds of the entire production capacity with TSMC's 5 nanometer process will be used to meet Cupertino's demand, thus leaving limited space for competing mobile processors.
All you need to know about iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro in this in-depth look at macitynet, instead for all that we know so far on the next iPhone 5G 2020 range, refer to this article.


text:
A work by one of the most famous artists of all time can be yours, for little more than $100.
“Nature Morte,” a 1921 painting by Spanish artist Pablo Picasso, is set to hit the online raffle market at the end of the month and thanks to a Paris-nonprofit, the entry is starting at €100, or about $113.
The nonprofit Aider les Autres, which is French for “Help the Others,” announced the online raffle in 2019 in order to drum up awareness and ticket sales. They will announce the winner on March 30.
While the idea of owning a Picasso at such a bargain price is exhilarating for any art lover, the money is going to a great cause regardless of the winner.


text:
Huawei is planning to ship out at least 200 million smartphones in 2018. Huawei, who is currently the third largest smartphone manufacturer in the world, managed to sell 153 million smartphones in 2017, well, the company is planning to increase that by about 25 percent in 2018. This information comes from the company’s CEO, Yu Chengdong, who announced the company’s plans during a recent Honor Play event in China.
Based on the company’s current trajectory, the company’s CEO believes that such a feat is achievable. Huawei managed to grow 51-fold in only seven years, in a span from 2010 and 2017, so an increase in sales of 25 percent compared to last year does seem like something Huawei may be able to pull off. Huawei’s sales numbers have been growing year after year, and the company actually managed to overthrow Apple at one point last year, and briefly become the second largest smartphone manufacturer in the world. Huawei is actually planning to trump Apple in the near future again, and has set its sights on Samsung already. The company may be the third-largest smartphone OEM in the world, but it’s also the number one smartphone OEM in the largest smartphone market in the world, Huawei’s homeland, China. Huawei is also doing fairly well in India thanks to its Honor sub-brand.
Speaking of Honor, Honor smartphones have managed to attract quite a few people over in India and Europe, and are selling extremely well for the company, in addition to Huawei’s very own budget and flagship offerings, of course. The Huawei P20 and P20 Pro flagships have managed to attract quite a few people as well, not to mention the company’s P20 Lite mid-ranger, which is in high-demand in certain parts of Europe. The Honor 10 is Honor’s flagship, and even though it’s inferior to the Huawei P20, it’s close to Huawei’s flagship, while it costs only a fraction of its price, which is why it managed to create such interest amongst consumers. It remains to be seen what will happen by the end of 2018, but Huawei is setting its sights high.


text:
Britain’s passion for rising house prices is both strange and irrational because by any yardstick a surging property market is bad news. It makes people feel wealthier than they actually are and so encourages them to take on more debt than they can afford. It diverts investment from more productive uses. It helps those who own housing assets at the expense of renters. And for every boom there is a reckoning, often extremely painful.
As a result, there are two possible responses to the forecast from the Halifax that house prices will rise by 2-4% in 2019. One is to treat only modest house price inflation as some sort of national tragedy. The other is to hope that Britain’s biggest mortgage lender has got it right. Response number two is the correct one.
What’s happening in the residential property market has nothing really to do with Brexit – not yet, at least. Clearly, a disruptive, unplanned departure from the European Union at the end of March would have serious consequences, which is why the Bank of England has stress-tested the high street banks to see whether they could cope with a 30% drop in house prices.
But the reason house price inflation has been moderating in 2018, and is likely to remain modest in 2019, is really an inevitable correction to the overblown market conditions in the middle of the decade. Record low interest rates, freshly minted money courtesy of the Bank’s quantitative easing programme, subsidies to homebuyers provided by the Treasury’s help-to-buy programme, a rising population and very low levels of housebuilding combined to provide the perfect conditions for a boom.
All the usual things happened. A rising property market generated a feelgood factor. Property owners spent more, with knock-on effects for the rest of the economy. Imports went up, leading to a widening trade deficit. And the next generation of first-time buyers was squeezed out of the market.
In the past – in the early 1990s, for example – rising interest rates have brought property bubbles to a rapid and painful end. This time, though, the Bank kept official borrowing costs low, which meant the UK avoided the negative growth and longer dole queues that in the past have led to falling house prices.
Potential housebuyers found prices far too high, even with mortgage rates low. But with employment at record levels, sellers found themselves under little pressure to drop excessively high asking prices. The upshot has been a standoff that has seen low levels of activity and houses only gradually becoming affordable.
This process is far from over. Houses will become more affordable as asking prices come down and earnings pick up, but this is going to take time. In London and the south-east, it is still almost impossible for a first-time buyer to raise the necessary deposit unless they have the facility to make a cash withdrawal from the bank of mum and dad.
If anything, the Halifax forecast looks to be a tad high. The economy has slowed since the summer and the Bank of England is sufficiently worried about inflation to be considering raising interest rates if there is a smooth Brexit. A more likely outcome is that house prices will move sideways during 2019.
This, though, would be a good outcome. If house prices crash it will be because the economy is in recession, unemployment is going up, mortgage arrears are mounting and home repossessions are soaring. If house prices stay where they are or even fall gently, it will mean that an unsustainable boom has ended in a rare soft landing. Small energy suppliers have the power to recover from a bad press
The energy industry likes to point to the market’s 70-plus suppliers as a sign that the sector is thriving and competition flourishing. But there is no masking the fact that this has not been a good year for the image of challenger firms.
The price increases of the big six – British Gas, EDF Energy, E.ON, Npower, Scottish Power and SSE – still rightly command negative headlines, given how many households they affect. However, the reputation of small suppliers jostling to unseat them has been tarnished, not least after eight collapsed this year.
That matters because the cost of picking up the pieces is borne by all energy consumers. As the former chief regulator Stephen Littlechild has pointed out, “prudent suppliers” and their customers are bailing out the “imprudent ones”.
Small suppliers have also topped the tables for worst customer service. Several of these, such as Iresa and OneSelect, have since gone bust.
It emerged this week that five of the biggest price increases this year came from small players. The worst was Economy Energy, which incredibly put up customers’ bills by 38%, or £311 a year, in a single blow.
Concerns over challengers’ viability and service have led Ofgem to consider tougher rules for new entrants. That is a welcome move but it would be a mistake to buy into a big-six-friendly narrative that tars all small suppliers with the same brush. The truth is that while there are some bad apples in the basket of challengers, they nestle among the finest in the market.
Small and medium suppliers offer the best prices, service and choice, be it renewably powered, publicly owned, time-of-use tariffs, app-only, you name it. As the big six get hammered by the price cap next year, let’s hope that small becomes beautiful once again. HMV’s troubles could soon sound like a broken record for the retail industry
Happy Christmas? HMV is calling in administrators and the next two or three weeks threaten to be a litany of doom for the retail industry.
Next is set to kick off the annual festive trading statement season on 3 January, but fears remain that names such as Debenhams, Marks & Spencer or Mothercare may have to issue a profits warning early next week after poor seasonal trading.
It is a tense time for Debenhams, where the retailer’s major shareholder, Mike Ashley’s Sports Direct, is poised to capitalise on any further financial distress. Ashley is no doubt keen to find a way to prop up recent purchase House of Fraser, which is sharing Debenhams’ pain in tough clothing, beauty and homewares markets.
Unseasonably warm weather, a general slowdown in spending on “stuff”, a lacklustre housing market and the uncertainty of Brexit have combined with increased competition from online specialists such as Boohoo, FeelUnique and Cult Beauty to put department stores on the rack.
The likes of Mothercare, FootAsylum, John Lewis and Dixons, the owner of PC World and Carphone Warehouse, face similar pressures.
M&S and Next largely stuck to their tactic of holding off on major price cuts until late December. It will become clear if ducking the festival of discounting across the rest of the high street paid off in profitable sales or lost them a big chunk of market share. It’s possible that they benefited from holding firm until the surge in trading in the last three days before Christmas.
It’s clearly been gloomy on the high street, with the number of shoppers down on last year.
But the biggest battle has been played out less visibly, with delivery vans and parcels. HMV’s troubles highlight the online onslaught. With all retail sales growth online, the next few weeks will reveal which retailers grabbed a slice of that action and which are lost in the post.


text:
It was reported earlier this week by TheWrap.com that media titan Warner Bros. was interested in purchasing the entire WWE Video Library. However, PWInsider broke the news today that the claims made by TheWrap.com were completely false as Warner Bros. has been discussing a home video distribution deal with WWE that would see Warner Bros. handle WWE’s future DVD and Blu-Ray releases. TheWrap.com also incorrectly listed Cinedigm as the company in charge of the WWE Video Library as WWE has always been in charge of their own library, but Cinedigm is in charge of WWE’s DVD and Blu-Ray releases, so it is easy to see where TheWrap.com could have gotten confused. In any case, Warner Bros. will not be buying the WWE Video Library, but the media giant may step in as WWE’s home video distributor in the future if a deal between the two companies can be made.
Should WWE make a deal with Warner Bros.? Post your comments in the box below.


text:
By Kay Tan
Let’s be honest here – the COVID-19 crisis that is currently happening across all countries is growing at an alarming rate. The reported number of cases daily does not show any sign of slowing down despite efforts taken by governments.
With the majority of businesses grinding to a halt, we are left unsure of the impact of the extended lockdown and travel ban. However, one thing we can be very sure of, the consequences of this crisis will likely be prolonged for at least another 6 months.
This will pose a lot of difficulties and challenges to businesses, particularly SMEs with no or minimised cash inflow and having to continue paying full salary, rental, and other statutory payments.
That alone is considered bad enough. But the stigma of the COVID-19 still looms large. There will be a shift in behaviour change with social distancing, people avoiding large crowds, and consumers shifting their priorities in terms of purchasing goods that matters to them most.
Just as I was speaking to a good friend of mine who owns a chain of retail shops that sell children’s toys, his exact words were, “people will not buy toys for a long, long time”. The COVID-19 crisis has forced many businesses to adapt to the ‘new normal’ for operations. While buying toys may no longer be a top priority to consumers, momentous celebrations like birthdays or rewarding our kids for accomplishing a set goal still exist. And this is an opportunity for businesses like my friend of mine to find new ways to reach out to parents and other family members for purchases.
Thus, it is time for SMEs to think innovatively and creatively. By finding other means and channels to market their products better, SMEs can reach out to more customers. One important area that SMEs should consider is to transition and optimize their business growth, with both offline and online channels. And here are the 3 good reasons.
Your business never sleeps – stay operational 24/7, all year-long
Imagine what is it to have at least 50 percent of 26.69 million Internet users in Malaysia know about your business online. Taking in the fact that your business stays operational throughout the whole year, it gives the flexibility to your customers to place an order at any time. You will soon realize that transitioning your business from offline to online is certainly worthwhile.
By having a simple website or even hopping on to social media, you can show the products and services that you offer. Your website or social media site will then serve as a channel to generate leads and inquiries. This increases the chances for you to reach out to more potential customers. They can find or reach out to you, especially in times like this when more and more users are taking a safer route to buy their necessities online, including food, groceries, and have them delivered right at the doorstep.
Ability to reach a wider audience
Having an online presence means that you can reach a wider group of potential customers than you are likely to attract locally. Besides, you are giving an alternative for customers to find you easily. With plenty of information available in your online platform, it allows them to make a quick and informed decision.
For micro-business, you can ride on any online marketplace platforms, as they provide a whole suite of tools for businesses where they provide A-Z facilities such as marketing, promotion, logistics and fulfilment, inventory management, and even training. For SMEs with a bigger budget, you can invest in building a fully customized website with a built-in payments function that fully integrates with your in-store system.
Some businesses have even gone to social media to market their products, where it is enabled by the advancement of video technology and better connectivity. For better, organized billing and payment, these businesses can also leverage on payment gateways which use either QR codes or a specific link.
Take the fresh seafood and fishery industry in Malaysia as an example. It is used to be a ‘see-it and feel-it’ experience before one buys. Today, consumers prefer to buy seafood online and have them delivered directly to their doorstep. Unlike the usual online seafood retail, business owners are taking a new leap to reach a wider audience group through live video via various platforms like Facebook Live, Instagram Live, and many more. That includes selling seafood through live auctions. And their sales have seen a marked increase.
Better customer experience – cultivating lasting relationships
The Internet has grown so big that people are spending more time sifting through tons of information to find things relevant to their interests. In an age of information overload, SMEs need to stand out to differentiate themselves from the competition. And one way to do so is to give the best customers’ experience by taking that offline experience online.
Over the last two weeks, I spoke to some of KipleBiz’s clients who are mainly SMEs on the impact of this pandemic outbreak on their business. Many have acknowledged the challenges of doing business in times like this. Yet, I was amazed by the persistence of these business owners who have opted to go all out and innovate, including getting their business online quickly and incorporating payment gateway solutions to reach their customers better.
This is coupled with providing quick customer service by responding to each and every inquiry, processing orders more speedily, issuing e-invoices within a day, and the best thing of all, payment transactions can happen immediately with a wide range of payment options. In addition, business owners can better plan their inventory and products as they have better insights into their customers’ behaviour and preferences based on the data that is generated automatically.
That’s not all. Another key reason that SMEs should ride on the digital wave is that your competitors are now also online. While some may still be sceptical about having their business online due to several factors, let us take a look at these numbers:
- Annual sales in Malaysia’s e-commerce market jumped 47.8 percent in 2017.
- The Malaysian e-commerce market for 2019 generated a revenue of US$3.68 billion (RM15.2 billion)
- E-commerce in Malaysia is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 24 percent through to 2021.
- Internet penetration in Malaysia is at 80.1 percent, higher than many other South East Asian countries.
Adding to the government’s initiatives to accelerate the cashless and digital agenda with several frameworks introduced such as National E-Commerce Strategic Roadmap, the growth rate of e-commerce is expected to see exponential growth.
So, to all SMEs, if it is not now to have your business online, then when?
Kay Tan is Chief Executive Officer of KiplePay Sdn Bhd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Green Packet Berhad.
Image credit: Career Employer


text:
Abbott pledges backing for Mylan’s Perrigo bid
ABBOTT PARK, Ill. — Mylan’s largest shareholder has promised to back the company’s bid to buy Perrigo, which would help fend off Teva’s $40 billion takeover offer. Abbott Laboratories, which owns a 14.5% share, pledged Tuesday to vote its shares in favor of Mylan’s $32 billion offer to buy Perrigo.
Though Perrigo has rejected Mylan’s bid, Abbott’s backing will help Mylan fight off Teva’s $40 billion acquisition offer, as Teva has said its takeover would be contingent on Mylan dropping the Perrigo bid. Mylan has rejected Teva’s offer and has said that a deal between the two would violate U.S. antitrust laws. Abbott’s backing might ensure that Mylan won’t drop its bid for Perrigo.
“As both Mylan's largest shareholder and its partner through our continued manufacturing relationships, Abbott has considered the entire situation and we believe Mylan's standalone strategy and acquisition of Perrigo will further enhance its platform, is strategically compelling, value enhancing for shareholders, and offers a clear path to completion,” Abbott’s CEO and chairman Miles White, said. “In light of these factors, we will be voting in favor of the Perrigo transaction.”
CNBC’s Jim Cramer chats with CVS Health’s Merlo, Target’s Cornell about ‘win-win’ deal
NEW YORK — As the industry reeled from the groundbreaking news that CVS Health will acquire Target’s pharmacy business, “Mad Money” host Jim Cramer spoke with both CVS Health president and CEO Larry Merlo and Target chairman and CEO Brian Cornell to get some additional insight into the deal that Cornell described as a “unique, one-off opportunity.”
“I keep telling you about the looming consolidation in the healthcare space. And look, not only did we hear about Anthem potentially bidding for Cigna today, but we also learned that Cramer-fave CVS Health, one of the dozen stocks on my healthcare hot list, is paying $1.9 billion to buy and run all of Target’s in-store pharmacies and clinics,” Cramer said. “… I think it is a win-win.”
During the segment, Merlo explained that the deal not only aligns with CVS Health’s broader healthcare focus and is an appreciation of the retailization of healthcare, but it also enables CVS Health to expand its presence into new markets and will be at least 12 cents accretive in 2018 and beyond.
For Target, Cornell said the deal will, “Continue to strengthen our position in the wellness space because we now have an expert in the space, one that brings scale, experience and capabilities that, we think, will continue to bring a new level experience to our target guests”
Despite some speculation that this partnership marks the beginning of a trend for Target as it works to place a greater focus on its signature categories, Cornell was quick to set the record straight.
“It is absolutely a unique, one-off opportunity. The chance for us to partner with someone who brings scale, experience and expertise into the space and help us fulfill our commitment to wellness with the guest,” Cornell told Cramer. “But you should not expect to see this happen in other places.”
Report: Millennials love Walmart
Generation Y prefers to shop at Walmart over Target, Costco, Kroger, Whole Foods, and Trader Joe’s, according to Ad Age.
"Millennials now, as a generation, like Walmart the best, more so than Generation X, more so than boomers," Matt Kistler, Walmart’s senior VP-consumer insights and analytics, said.
Walmart is most popular among people under 24, as well as every store but Target among 25- to 34-year-olds, according to InfoScout, a provider of shopper insights with a nationwide panel of more than 170,000 shoppers.
Kistler, Walmart CEO Stephen Quinn, and Walmart.com VP of Merchandising Jill Ramsey attribute this data to Walmart’s convenience as a “one-stop shop,” the company’s online retail and mobile investments, and Walmart’s familiarity from millennials’ childhoods.
To read the full article, click here.


text:
Food lovers traveling with British Airways (BA) now have a big reason to cheer as the UK’s national airline has teamed up with a Michelin-starred chef, a rating system used to grade restaurants on their quality, to put some zest into its in-flight economy meals.
Travelers flying short-haul economy class on British Airways can get set to tuck into dishes designed by celebrity chef Tom Kerridge which will be available on a ‘buy before you fly’ basis from a new ‘Speedbird Café’ service.
Choose from a yum menu!
Featuring a range of pies and sandwiches, it will be served on all BA’s Euro Traveler flights. On the menu is a host of British-inspired bites including steak pies, chicken, bacon and celery brioche and Ploughman’s cheddar sandwiches suitable for vegetarians. There’s also a spiced cauliflower tortilla wrap specially curated for vegan travelers.
Scones with clotted cream, blueberry muffins and hand-cooked potato chips are also on the menu for passengers looking for more of a snack.
“I am truly happy to be working with British Airways again, and to have the opportunity to champion the best of British to so many people. A sandwich, made with care and great flavors, can be a perfect meal and I hope the passengers enjoy my short haul menu,” said Mr. Kerridge. The chef previously worked with the airline to design its celebratory centenary menus in 2019.
In an effort to reduce waste, travelers will need to pre-order their meals before flying. This must happen 12 hours before flights departing the UK and 24 hours before flights coming from overseas. There can be no change of mind once you’re airborne.
Mr. Kerridge’s sandwich collection replaces food giant Marks & Spencer. The company previously supplied British Airways with its on-flight sandwiches. English chef Kerridge is the owner of several restaurants including the Hand and Flowers gastropub, the only pub in the UK with two Michelin stars.
British Airways’ new Speedbird Cafe menu is chargeable with prices starting at around $5.50 per sandwich. The airline will continue to offer complimentary refreshments to travelers, a move that it introduced in response to the global pandemic.
BA has also confirmed that it is ditching its policy of charging passengers for water and snacks such as crisps or cereal bars, something that the ex-BA chief executive Alex Cruz introduced in 2017 and which was met with howls of protest.
It is also set to reintroduce glassware and china on long-haul flights from January 20. Previously, BA was serving food in minimum-contact meal boxes to reduce interaction between crew and passengers. The Buy Before You Fly initiative will start later this month, even though hardly anyone is flying anywhere.


text:
The very first Ferrari F12 Berlinetta to hit U.S. soil has been recently delivered to its customer, Larry Roth, who has won it at the Hurricane Sandy Auction back in late 2012.
The Ferrari F12 Berlinetta is truly an impressive ride and the one pictured above is even more impressive considering the fact that its owner has paid 1.125 million USD for it. Larry Roth, the first owner of the Ferrari F12 Berlinetta in the United States, has bought it at the Hurricane Sandy Auction in November 2012, in Texas. This is a whopping price considering the fact that the regular one stands at 315,888 USD.
As a quick reminder, the Ferrari F12 Berlinetta is the official replacement for the 599 GTB. The model has won several awards across the Old Continent, including 2012 Top Gear’s Supercar of the Year. The F12 Berlinetta is powered by a 6.3 liter V12 engine which is developing a total output of 730 horsepower and it has a peak torque of 509 lb-ft, out of which 80 percent is available from only 2,500 rpm. Ferrari is saying that the F12 Berlinetta can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in just 3.1 seconds and the 0 to 200 km/h acceleration takes 8.5 seconds. The model can reach a top speed of 340 km/h.


text:
Apple’s Siri Will Get A Gender-Neutral Voice In Upcoming iOS Update
By Alexa Heah, 24 Feb 2022
Reports have emerged that Apple will be introducing a gender-neutral voice for English speakers on Siri, as the latest beta version of iOS 15.4 was released this week.
As per Axios, the voice—option number five—will be less explicitly male- or female-sounding.
This inclusion comes as the company moves to include more diverse options for Siri, as with the two Black voice actors it added to the virtual assistant’s repertoire last year.
While Apple confirmed that the gender-neutral recording was voiced by a member of the LGBTQ+ community, it did not offer additional details on the person’s background.
“We’re excited to introduce a new Siri voice for English speakers, giving users more options to choose a voice that speaks to them,” the firm said in a statement.
“Millions of people around the world rely on Siri every day to help get things done, so we work to make the experience feel as personalized as possible.”
Alongside the new voice option, iOS 15.4 will come with new emojis, security fixes, an update to Face ID, and Universal Control.
According to CNET, the new voice will likely be rolled out to all Apple devices sometime this Spring.
More related news


text:
Twitter quarterly ad sales top $1bn as reopening lifts demand
The better than expected figures also saw the social media company bounce back to profit in the April-June period with one analyst saying "the overall digital ad market is on fire right now".
Friday 23 July 2021 09:48, UK
Shares in Twitter have risen after it reported a better than expected rise in quarterly ad revenue to more than $1bn.
Twitter said the increase had been helped by improvements in its ad targeting as well as higher demand from companies to reach consumers as economies open up.
The US tech company's results also showed its number of "monetisable" daily active users - those who are shown ads - climbed by seven million to 206 million though they fell by one million in the US.
It comes after Twitter introduced products in new areas such as audio-only chat rooms and newsletter publishing as it seeks to revive growth.
Results for the second quarter showed ad revenues were up by 87% compared to the same period a year ago to $1.05bn, beating Wall Street estimates of $910m.
Twitter has been working to improve the effectiveness of its ads, introducing 2,500 new topic categories to help users find content that interests them.
That provides more advertising target data to the company.
Chief financial officer Ned Segal said: "We get great signal about what people are most interested in, where they are or the places they care about."
Twitter bounced back into the black in the quarter, with a profit of $65.6m compared to a loss of $1.38bn a year ago.
It also lifted its forecast for spending this year as it invests in its engineering and product teams, but that did not hold back investor cheer, with shares climbing 5% in after-hours trading.
The results late on Thursday came as Snap, owner of Snapchat, reported revenue growth of 116%.
Ygal Arounian, research analyst at Wedbush securities, said that together the figures showed "that the overall digital ad market is on fire right now, with the reopening further strengthening advertisers' budgets".


text:
World Backup Day 2017
World Backup Day is held annually to educate and remind people how important it is to regularly back up and preserve their precious data. It is an independent initiative that was founded in San Francisco, California in March 2011.
Every year on the 31st of March, people around the world are encouraged to have a backup plan in place for their data before the first of April. And if they already have a plan, they are asked to encourage their colleagues, friends and family to backup their data before it’s too late. Especially all those pictures, spreadsheets, love letters, cat pictures, & important financial documents!
In March 2017, private organisations, individuals and government bodies from all over the world got on board to share the message – including the Stay Smart Online team.
We thought World Backup day was an excellent way to encourage people to stay smart when they’re online. We supported it by reminding people that regularly backing up their data should be part of everyday life, like having an umbrella on hand in the rain or a spare tyre in the back of the car. We made a short animated video for our online community to share. You can watch it on YouTube and see for yourself why it’s always good to have a backup.
According to the World Backup Day website, founder Ismail Jadun said, “I’m thrilled with the response to World Backup Day, and I hope it’s made a difference in people’s lives. We all know someone who has lost critical data, whether it was their videos, photos, music, book reports, or personal stuff. Hopefully this day will make everyone think about their situation, learn about the various options and get their files backed up. I hope that World Backup Day sparks conversations about the enormous task of saving our digital heritage for future generations.”
You can visit the World Backup Day website to learn more, including interesting statistics like 113 phones are stolen every minute and 30% of people have never backed up!